algy Posted October 13, 2016 Report Share Posted October 13, 2016 A neighbour asked me to have a look at a spider that she was not familiar with and when I saw it, it was instantly recognisable as a False Widow spider that had made a nest and laid eggs in a hole in her garden shed I sprayed it with wasp killer and when dead disposed of it, the nest and eggs. First one I have heard of around here so keep a look out as they do have a nasty bite that has put people in hospital, very rare for this to happen as normally the reaction is similar to a wasp sting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 13, 2016 Report Share Posted October 13, 2016 Fortunately you've got the message out on the web ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted October 13, 2016 Report Share Posted October 13, 2016 Gawd if the clown craze and reports of it happening in Warrington wasn't bad enough (clowns scare me)....now you tell me Warrington has those horrid spiders too Algy (yep I'm scared of spider too, but odly enough not Tarantulas).So this here false widow your neighbour and you found Algy...do they only live outside or might they come indoors too EEK.Bit mean of you to spray it with wasp killer though as that must have been a painful and fairly drawn out end for it Could no not have just squashed it and the eggs...it would have been over before it knew what had hit it (so to speak) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted October 13, 2016 Report Share Posted October 13, 2016 Fortunately you've got the message out on the web ! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted October 13, 2016 Report Share Posted October 13, 2016 I forgot to ask...how big was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted October 13, 2016 Report Share Posted October 13, 2016 Anecdotally as big as a dinner plate Actually I don't know, but Google is your friend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted October 13, 2016 Report Share Posted October 13, 2016 Here you go, free of charge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steatoda_nobilis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted October 13, 2016 Report Share Posted October 13, 2016 I'm not googling bloody spiders, I wont sleep tonight if I do ...... and not sure I want to click your link either. Can't you just tell me if it's like the size of a 5p, 10p 50p or bigger. Truthful answers only please :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 about the size of a 2p piece dizz. (15mm) usually found in cracks mainly outdoors. in fact smaller than your average wolf spider (35mm 1-1/2 ")and much smaller than the giant house spider (120 mm 5" about teh size of a tea plate) that is normally the one you find scurrying around in the bathtub. The surprising thing is that quite a lot of the spiders wandering about the area can give you a nasty bite if you are allergic to such things.Personally i just leave them alone to get on with whatever it is they are doing, if that happens to be crawling up my leg i will tend to coax them onto the floor so they can scuttle away to a nice dark place to hide until later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted October 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 The body of the female is approx.15mm with the leg spread tip to tip approx. 35mm. They rarely venture into houses and frequent garden walls and sheds. False Black Widow Spider Habitat and Spider Webs The Spiders are usually found in walls, fences and the bark of trees. False Black Widow Spiders are also common around dwellings and gardens as well as under rocks and wood. Originally a native of southern Europe as far east as Georgia. Adults occur from June to November. False Black Widow Spiders construct a cobweb of an irregular tangle of sticky silken fibres. As with other web-weaving spiders, False Black Widow Spiders have very poor eyesight. False Black Widow Spiders depend mostly on vibrations reaching them through their webs to orient themselves to prey or warn them of danger such as larger animals that could injure or kill them. False Black Widow Spiders are not aggressive spiders and most injuries to humans are due to defensive bites delivered when a spider gets accidentally disturbed. It is possible that some bites may result when a spider mistakes a finger thrust into its web for its normal prey, however, ordinarily intrusion by any large creature will cause these spiders to flee. False Black Widow Spiders are now increasing in numbers in the United Kingdom due to global warming. False Black Widow Spider Diet Some species of False Black Widow Spiders will actually prey on Black Widow Spiders, as well as other spiders which are considered hazardous to humans. False Black Widow Spiders mainly eat crawling insects, especially isopods (sowbugs and pillbugs). False Black Widow Spider Reproduction False Black Widow Spiders mate in the spring and the females can produce three or more egg sacs or cocoons from May through to July. Each sac can contain 200 or more cream-coloured eggs. Although the males can live for up to 18 months, they die shortly after mating. All stages of the immature spiders can be found in human-made structures throughout the year, as can the adults. False Black Widow Spider Venom The bite itself from the False Black Widow Spider is not usually felt, however, within a short space of time, a local burning sensation is followed by radiating pain. Within 20 minutes, the affected part will swell and develop a weal. If bitten on the hand, within 3 – 4 hours, swelling will develop and tingling will be felt. Two small puncture wounds in the region of the swelling, surrounded by local abnormal redness of the skin with a small bluish tinge will occur a few hours later. However bites by the False Black Widow Spider generally do not have any long-lasting effects. The symptoms associated with the bite of several False Black Widow Spider species are known in the medical profession as ‘steatodism’ and have been described as a less severe form of latrodectism (the symptoms associated with a widow spider bite). The Redback Spider antivenin has been shown to be effective at treating bites from False Black Widow Spiders, after it was mistakenly administered to a bite victim who was incorrectly believed to have been bitten by the far more dangerous Redback Spider. Frequency of bites from False Black Widow Spiders have increased as the species spreads into the south and east of England. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 How are they getting here Alg ? Under lorries ? What are the UKBF doing about it ? ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted October 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 This lady had a new shed delivered and erectind so I suppose it may have been in the shed or lorry otherwise I have no idea, however they were first detected down south in the late 1800's and I read recently that they are slowly heading north, small newly hatched spiders with small strands of web are carried on the wind so again they may be anywhere. Regarding the UKFB what do they do about anything!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadako Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 I come back to a forum and now I want to go again. Thanks for that algy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted October 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 Sorry about that sadako, as long as you leave them alone they will leave you alone - so I'm told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted October 15, 2016 Report Share Posted October 15, 2016 I come back to a forum and now I want to go again. Thanks for that algy. :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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